Christian Publishing House Blog
Apologetic Defense of the faith, the Bible, and Christianity
The gospel was first brought to Samaria by Philip, not the apostle, but one of the seven deacons (Acts 6:5. 21:8), who, as colleagues of Stephen and as Hellenistic Jew, were doubtless among the chief sufferers by the persecution.
The mother church of Christendom, after so glorious a beginning, grew mightily, both inwardly and outwardly, and at first found great favor with the people, (Acts 2:47), for the purity of its walk, and the glow of its first love and benevolence, which reached even to a community of goods.
The astonishment of the well-disposed hearers at these wonderful proceedings, and the mockery of the unbelievers, who ascribed the speaking with tongues to intoxication, called for an explanation and apology; and this first independent testimony of the apostles, poured forth from the fullness of the Spirit, was the effective signal for gathering in the first fruits of the new spiritual creation.
The speaking with other or with new tongues, or simply speaking with tongues, which, along with miraculous powers, the Lord had expressly promised to his disciples before his ascension, (Mk. 16:17), marks, in its first appearance, that creative act of the Holy Spirit, in which he for the first time broke through the confines of nature, took forcible possession, so to speak, of the human mind, and solemnly consecrated human language to become the organ of the gospel.
Next to the incarnation, death, and resurrection of the Son of God, the Holy Spirit’s outpouring and the church’s birth is the most momentous fact in history.
Discover the truth behind the authorship of Jude. Is it a genuine apostolic work or a later addition?
Explore the debate on the origins of Ephesians. Is it truly from Paul or a later addition? Discover insights into this vital New Testament text.
Explore the debate surrounding the true author of the Gospel of Mark. Discover insights that challenge traditional beliefs.
Explore the origins of Matthew's Gospel: could its authorship be different than traditionally believed? Dive into the debate now.
Explore the evidence behind the authorship of the Gospel of Luke. Is there enough to confirm Luke as the writer?
